Social Efficiency, Workforce Development, and the Threat to the Humanities and Social Sciences

“A teacher who is attempting to teach without inspiring the pupil with a desire to learn is hammering on cold iron.” – Horace Mann

janresseger

In Aristotle’s Wrongful Death , NY Times columnist Frank Bruni contemplates the retreat by colleges and universities from the liberal arts: “History is on the ebb. Philosophy is on the ropes. And comparative literature? Please. It’s an intellectual heirloom: cherished by those who can afford such baubles but disposable in the eyes of others. I’m talking about college majors, and the talk about college majors is loud and contentious these days. There’s concern about whether schools are offering the right ones. There are questions about whether colleges should be emphasizing them at all. How does a deep dive into the classics abet a successful leap into the contemporary job market? Should an ambitious examination of English literature come at the cost of acquiring fluency in coding, digital marketing and the like?”

Bruni describes how the University of Illinois is combining majors like anthropology and linguistics with computer science, how Assumption…

View original post 1,674 more words

Students confront Rep. Huizenga on his lack of action on school shootings

Grand Rapids Institute for Information Democracy

Earlier today, a group of students organized under the name of West Michigan March for Our Lives, took action at the Grandville office of Representative Bill Huizenga.

About 20 students participated in the action, all carrying signs and a piece of tap across their mouths.

The students entered Rep. Huizenga’s office in silence, standing with their signs, while one member of the group made an opening statement about school shootings and what they wanted from the Congressman.

As you will see and hear in the video below, the student who spoke, read a list of the names of those killed in school shootings (223) since Columbine. The students also ended with a clear message for Rep. Huizenga.

View original post